I love this thread.... I just re-read it form the beginning. Alot of useful information I've gathered:

I am happy we're doing a welcome dinner, glad I found a photographer I love, happy we got the basic cake and relaxed about having our own playlist instead of DJ. I think i've already spent about 20 hours on the music and it's not even done yet. i hope it's worth it...

I'm still undecided on rose petals or bubbles? And undecided on SPANX...

I got bubbles, I thought it would be fun. I might get real rose petals from the resort, but I decided against fake ones for environmental reasons (you will not see me out there in my wedding dress cleaning them up). I am also still undecided on Spanx, I will have my fitting on Sept 29 and decide after that.

So here's my question to all you brides: DID ANYONE THINK THE CAKE WAS WORTH IT?

I know I didn't and the desserts that came with the buffet were actually more than we even needed. It seems like that is one of those things that keeps popping up in everyone's list of "could have done without!"

I think my cake was totally worth it! My best friend made my beautiful cake and my grandmother made the groom's cake, that alone made the cake one of the most special parts of my wedding.

Changing our wedding location to California: I still really wanted a DW feeling but so many of my relatives wouldn't have made it to Jamiaca, also once we got to Jamaica I was so happy it was just us...word of advice give yourselves a few days alone after the wedding if you will be staying near other relatives.

Bouquet/flowers - I saved myself a ton of money by doing this myself and while I know its not possible for all DW's, having a beautiful bouquet really makes the whole bride thing feel complete.

Changing my mind on my dress last minute: I had a nervous breakdown about my dress and I am so happy that I went with my gut on this one, my dress was beautiful and actually wound up resembling my mothers wedding dress which was a cool thing for us to share.

Buying my dress at David's Bridal: I know not many people want to go there, but I got great service (and this was at three seperate stores in three states) everytime I went there (yes to get a new dress) they were so helpful and reassuring that it was okay to have doubts.

Rehearsal Dinner: we had a large rehearsal dinner but since a lot of our family hadn't met yet it was a great way for them to all mingle and see each other.

Choosing Napa as a destination: I loved it, it was unique in our own way and an easy destination for our friends and family.

Matt Kim: wow, I love my pictures and seriously can't imagine anyone else capturing my memories the way he did. He was amazing and worked his tail off that day.

Cakes: yes plural we had two cakes a grooms cake which was a cool way for my grandmother to celebrate her southern heritage and for my friend who was making our real cake to make a smaller more manageble cake. I loved our cakes and they were really yummy!

guestbook: we did this as the matting of a frame, I have them hanging in my hallway and get to look at all the good wishes everyday. We also did a scrapbook album for our rehearsal dinner and got some great, funny, sentimental advice from our closest family and friends, as well as some memorable photos from the evening.

Wine Tour: having this the day after made it feel like a DW and we had so much fun with the small group who wound up going. Definately worth the hassle of planning it.

Our DJ: Even though we had some issues with the music, having a friend do this for us made the evening so great...it was so nice to have someone who knew us well doing this.

I WISH I HAD SKIPPED IT:

Stressing out so much about every little thing being perfect

not enjoying my first dance with my hubby (I was really hot and the music started off wrong, so I got cranky and kinda pushed him away)

having a large bridal party: my friends are all friends from different times in my life and they really really didn't get along. They wound up causing a bit of a fight at the reception and two of them are still not really speaking to me.

honestly there really isn't much I can think about, but overall I enjoyed my wedding and look back on it as a really wonderful day/weekend. I think my family grew closer because of it, mainly because I moved the location so they could be more involved and because I spent three weeks out there with all of them before the wedding. I think that my husband appreciates my crazy anal retentive OCD mind about planning things now and understands why it was so important to me.

and I have to agree with Kelly here: the over all best thing I did was to marry my best friend, Will is a really wonderful husband and even though I didn't think marriage would be different than living together for four years, it is and its so much better.

I think I'm skipping the spanx because I am wearing a crinoline slip under my dress and I really don't want to wear anything extra!

I also have a crinoline under my dress (half of one, I cut the top layer off, too much poof) and I have 2 of three layers on my dress, so this might make me sweat too much. Since my dress is not tight fitting, I might not get spanx cause of the weather. But at the same time if I have them on my wedding day I can decide if I want to wear them or not that day. I am worried about eating the resort food and drinking before my wedding and it making me feel bloated.

So, I think I just talked myself into buying it anyway and returning it after if I do not open it up to wear it.

To those of you debating Spanx. I was planning on wearing them and had my last fitting with them on (2 weeks before the wedding). However, the wedding day arrived and when I put the Spanx on with my dress the night before- I had this recurring nightmare that my dress wouldn't fit & I'd have to wear my TTD dress to the wedding- my dress was actually too small! I guess my crash dieting at the end worked, and although I liked the look better with them on, I didn't feel like my dress was snug enough. And I totally vetoed it the day of the wedding- I was really warm while I was getting ready and I totally didn't want anything extra on. It was just me, my Mrs. Spr**** undies and my dress

To those of you debating Spanx. I was planning on wearing them and had my last fitting with them on (2 weeks before the wedding). However, the wedding day arrived and when I put the Spanx on with my dress the night before- I had this recurring nightmare that my dress wouldn't fit & I'd have to wear my TTD dress to the wedding- my dress was actually too small! I guess my crash dieting at the end worked, and although I liked the look better with them on, I didn't feel like my dress was snug enough. And I totally vetoed it the day of the wedding- I was really warm while I was getting ready and I totally didn't want anything extra on. It was just me, my Mrs. Spr**** undies and my dress

Thanks for the info Sarah. I think I will buy them and do what you did, try them on and decide.

Tell me about this crash dieting, what did you do? I need tips and fast. lol

For the week before we left for Cabo I just drank tons of water, ate pretty much only veggies and protein, avoided carbs and sugar. Even when we got to the resort for the first 5 days I made reasonable choices. I still ate the normal resort food, but it was within reason.

I also was on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then the elliptical 45 minutes, then weights for 30 minutes almost every day for the 2 weeks before the wedding. I even kept this up at Dreams- getting up at 7am every day so I could be back to the room to get ready for each day with Jeff. It was pretty brutal, especially since I'd only been working out like 3 times a week before then.

Believe me, right after the wedding I ate anything and everything in sight! This explains why I've gained 12 pounds since the wedding. Yikes!

Sorry for the hijack, although I think mine probably belongs in the "what I wouldn't do again". Don't save your working out and dieting until the last 3 months before the wedding! lol

Don't save your working out and dieting until the last 3 months before the wedding! lol

Oops, why didn't you tell me this 3 months ago. LMAO.

I have to get my butt in gear as well. I need to also get to the gym aside from just doing my boot camp. I really want to lose at least 5 more lbs before the wedding. It would be amazing if I could lose 10. I have 5 weeks, I need to get my big butt in gear Can't give up carbs though, I would starve without them.

To those of you debating Spanx. I was planning on wearing them and had my last fitting with them on (2 weeks before the wedding). However, the wedding day arrived and when I put the Spanx on with my dress the night before- I had this recurring nightmare that my dress wouldn't fit & I'd have to wear my TTD dress to the wedding- my dress was actually too small! I guess my crash dieting at the end worked, and although I liked the look better with them on, I didn't feel like my dress was snug enough. And I totally vetoed it the day of the wedding- I was really warm while I was getting ready and I totally didn't want anything extra on. It was just me, my Mrs. Spr**** undies and my dress

thats exactly what I want to have under my dress, nothing extra, I am wearing the crinoline slip though only because I think my dress needs it. but there is a nice cotton layer between my skin and the crinoline so hopefully that will help keep me cool!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julesr

Thanks for the info Sarah. I think I will buy them and do what you did, try them on and decide.

Tell me about this crash dieting, what did you do? I need tips and fast. lol

I was just thinking the same thing, whats this crash diet...and then I read on

Quote:

Originally Posted by NurseSarah

For the week before we left for Cabo I just drank tons of water, ate pretty much only veggies and protein, avoided carbs and sugar. Even when we got to the resort for the first 5 days I made reasonable choices. I still ate the normal resort food, but it was within reason.

I also was on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then the elliptical 45 minutes, then weights for 30 minutes almost every day for the 2 weeks before the wedding. I even kept this up at Dreams- getting up at 7am every day so I could be back to the room to get ready for each day with Jeff. It was pretty brutal, especially since I'd only been working out like 3 times a week before then.

Believe me, right after the wedding I ate anything and everything in sight! This explains why I've gained 12 pounds since the wedding. Yikes!

Sorry for the hijack, although I think mine probably belongs in the "what I wouldn't do again". Don't save your working out and dieting until the last 3 months before the wedding! lol

I'm totally eating whatever I want once the weddings over, but for now I've got to do some serious crash dieting!! thanks for the tips!